Carpet-stretcher



(No Model.)

2 Sheets sheet 1.

J. H. KELLER & T. WILEY.

' CARPET STRETOHER. No. 334,174. Paten J anpm, 1886.

lllllllllllllll (No Model;) 2 sheets sheet 2.

J. H. KELLER & T. WILEY.

CARPET STRETUHER.

No. 334,174. Patented Jan. 12, 1886..

Ilnrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOH\ H. KELLER AND THOMAS YVILEY, OF CLYDE, OHIO.

CARPET-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,174, dated January 12,1886.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN H. KELLER and THOMAS WILEY, of Olyde, in the county of Sandusky and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Stretchers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in carpet-stretchers.

The object is to provide a carpet-stretcher which shall be light, durable, effective, and inexpensive.

\Vith these ends in view our invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. is a perspective view of the stretcher. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank from which the parts D, E, and F are made, and Fig. 3 is a view in perspective showing the loop and arms cast in a single piece.

A represents a thin bar, preferably of metal, provided with a sharppointed head, a, firmly secured thereto. The upper edge of the bar A is provided with a series of notches, a, having a general slant toward the sharp-pointed head, as shown in the drawings.

B represents the stretcher-head. It consists of a bar of wood or metal, preferably wood, provided with a series of teeth, b, having a slight forward inclination, and of a suffi cient length to take a firm hold upon the heaviest carpet. A pair of bracing'arms, O, are firmly secured to the head B near its ends, and from thence extend obliquely toward each other, their adjacent ends being secured to the sides of a U-shaped plate, D. The plate I). or the U shaped portion of it, is adapted to loosely embrace the upper edge and sides of the bar A, and to slide freely along the same,

' but not allow sufficient play to cause the bar A to rock from side to side. At the front and rear of the upper portion or the bite of the plate D it is provided with upwardly-extending ears E and F, respectively. Between the ears F a gravity dog or pawl, f, is pivoted, which engages the notches a as the loop is slid along in its advanced position. Between the ears E one end of the link G is pivotally secured, the opposite end of said link being pivoted to the lever H. l

The plate D and its ear projections are preferably formed integral, a flat piece of metal being cut at its ends to form the upwardlyextending ears, the central portion being bent downwardly to form the loop about the bar A.

The lever H consists of a pair of flat metallic branches united to form a tang to be secured in the handle h, and also united at their lower ends by a bolt or rivet, I, adapted to engage the notches a. The link G is pivoted between the branches of the lever H a short distance above the bolt or rivet I. The construction of the lever is such that it can be produced at slight expense, and it affords a very convenient means for attaching the link and forming a fulcrum-bearing.

To draw the stretcher head toward the sharp'pointed head a the lower end of the lever is swung forwardly and the bolt or rivet I inserted in one of the notches a. The lower ends of the bifurcated lever H project a short distance down the sides of the bar, and thus serve to hold the lever securely in engagement with the bar until it is purposely lifted therefrom. As the handle h is swung forwardly it draws the stretcher-head, with carpet attached, toward the pointed head a, the pawl or dogf holding the stretcher-head in its advanced 'position while the lever is raised and its lower end swung forwardly for a new hold.

The extended bearing formed by the plate D obviates the necessity of attaching a guideloop to the stretcher-head, and the attachment of the pawl or dog to the loop, instead of to the lever, causes it to move steadily along the bar and engage the notches thereon without fail. The said bearing-plate D also serves to firmly unite the ends of the bracingarms O, and may, if found expedient, be cast integral therewith.

We are aware that it is old to provide the stretcher-head with bars or braces, and to con nect the operating-handle and retaining-pawl to said bars or braces by swinging plates, which latter rest on opposite sides of the ratchet-bar, and hence we make no claim to such construction.

and the sliding loop rigidly secured to the ends loop, substantially as set forth.

- and embracing the notched bar, of a bifur- Having fully described our invention, What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the notched bar 2. In a carpetstretcher, the combination, with a notched bar, stretcher-head, bracearms, and a loop connecting the bracearms cated operating-lever provided with a cross bolt or rivet near its ends, adapted to serve as 1 a dog, and a link pivoted between its branches above the cross-bolt and connected to the loop.

3. In a carpet-stretcher, a sliding loop constructed of a single piece of metal bent to form the loop about the notched bar, and the two pair of upturned cars for attaching the operating-lever and the retaining-pawl thereto, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. KELLER. THOMAS \VILEY.

\Vitnesses:

J. H. RHODES, GEo. D. NICHOLS. 

